An early EP from Mike Watt's New Alliance label Going from hardcore (Minutemen / Black Flag) to a more odd eclectic sound (the rest of the line up), its a great look back on SST records catalog in 1980. Running time: 9:18mn.

Isn’t this what we needed just now? Almost-lost-and-almost-forgotten comp tracks from the Minutemen and Saccharine Trust, rescued off records with awesome Pettibon art. Minutemen’s “9:30 May 2” and Trust’s “Hearts And Barbarians” first clawed their way into California on that LP, and they’re two of the strong ones here. “9:30” is Joy-Punchline era Minutemen: about 30 seconds, riff snapping around like downed power lines, righteousness aplenty. (“What does America mean to you?” “America means everything to me!”) “Hearts” is Jack aflutter with sarcasm and Joe just bleeding guitar everywhere, and although it’s not quite “I Am Right” it must be from right around Paganicons time. Plus (on "Chunks") their “A Christmas Cry” is wrecked free-improv noise hell that puts a big greasy smear across the holiday culture. Ever look at a Christmas tree and hate it? Brewer is so damn disgusted on this one. Cower before the power of the glower. (By Chris Ziegler)

Various Artists - Chunks

New Alliance Records 1981 12'' Ep / SST Records 1988 CD

01. Descendents – Global Probing

02. Cheifs – The Lonelys

03. Minutemen – Clocks

04. Black Flag – Machine

05. Stains (3) – Sick And Crazy

06. Peer Group – I Saw That Movie

07. Vox Pop – You're My Favourite

08. Ken – Purposeless Attitudes

09. Slivers – Sport

10. Saccharine Trust – A Christmas Cry

11. Artless Entanglements – Dildos, Bondage, And Toys

12. Nig-Heist – The Nig-Heist

Running time: 17:06mn
Another early EP (not really a cutout) from Mike Watt's New Alliance label that chronicles a slice of the early California punk scene.
Not entirely essential, it still offers some otherwise unreleased greatness with "Machine", an anti-worker siren squall from (pre-Henry) Black Flag, and a Minutemen classic ("Clocks"). More obscure punk greatness is here, like the Stains' hard-to-find dirge anthem "Sick and Crazy" and many others are either one-off goofiness from scenesters (producer Spot's "Dildos, Bondage and Toys") or low-fi creepiness (the Nig-Heist). A must have for purists who need a peek into punk's golden age. (By Michael Heminger)